Stars on Earth goes for Japan's filly triple in Shuka Sho
Stars on Earth will be favored to win the Grade 1 Shuka Sho Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan on Sunday and sweep the country’s Triple Crown for 3-year-old fillies.
If successful, Stars on Earth will be the seventh filly to sweep the series, and first since Daring Tact in 2020. The sequence of races includes the Japanese 1000 Guineas at a mile in April and the Japanese Oaks at 1 1/2 miles in May.
The $1.45 million Shuka Sho is run at 1 1/4 miles and drew a field of 16.
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Stars on Earth, a Duramente filly trained by Mizuki Takayanagi, has won 3 of 7 starts. Prior to the Japanese 1000 Guineas, her only win came in a maiden race at 1 1/8 miles in October 2021. Before the 1000 Guineas, Stars on Earth was third in two Grade 3 stakes at a mile in January and February.
Stars on Earth will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire for owner Shadai Race Horse Co.
In the Japanese Oaks, Stars on Earth closed from eighth in a field of 17 to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Stunning Rose, who is part of the Shuka Sho field. Namur, third by 2 1/2 lengths in the Japanese Oaks, also starts in the Shuka Sho.
Stunning Rose has started once since the Japanese Oaks, finishing second by a neck to Shuka Sho hopeful Sound Vivace in the Grade 3 Shion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama on Sept. 10.
Namur and Stars on Earth have not raced since the Japanese Oaks.
The Shuka Sho field includes Water Navillera, who was second in the 1000 Guineas and 13th in the Japanese Oaks, and Art House, who was seventh in the Japanese Oaks and won the Grade 2 Rose Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Chukyo Racecourse on Sept. 18.
Post time for the Shuka Sho is 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
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